UW’s Uding Receives Grant to Study Police Response to Mental Health Crises

University of Wyoming Associate Professor Clair Uding, of the Department of Criminal Justice and Sociology, has received a grant for $649,464 from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) for her research on police response to mental health crises.

Her project, titled “Research and Evaluation on Policing Practices, Accountability Mechanisms and Alternatives,” aims to explore a program in Fort Collins, Colo., where both the police and mental health professionals respond to situations involving people in mental health crises.

“This is an extremely impressive achievement and the first National Institute of Justice grant for our Criminal Justice Program,” says Eric Wodahl, head of the UW Department of Criminal Justice and Sociology.

Uding notes that the approach being taken in Fort Collins is becoming more popular, but it’s still unclear how it affects arrests, use of force and whether people receive treatment.

“I’m very excited to pursue this project,” she says. “Fort Collins’ Mental Health Response Team, which sends police officers and licensed clinicians to respond to mental health calls, has been growing since 2018. This is a great opportunity to evaluate the program and see the impact it is having on individuals’ lives by trying to connect people to treatment and services.”

Her project will have two parts. First, she will study what happens after the call, comparing the results when the Mental Health Response Team responds with calls when only the police respond. She will explore factors including what they do, how long they take and whether they use force.

The second part will evaluate what happens over a longer period. She will compare the long-term outcomes of those who get help from the Mental Health Response Team with those who get help from the police.

“This can help inform police agencies nationwide who have existing or are considering adopting co-responder programs in their own communities," she says.

Uding came to UW in 2018, was promoted to associate professor this year and received a Provost’s Term Professorship in 2022. She also is a member of the Albany County Mental Health Board.

For more information about her research, email Uding at cuding@uwyo.edu.

To learn more about UW’s Department of Criminal Justice and Sociology, visit www.uwyo.edu/as/departments.